Romney Opposes the Boy Scouts' Ban on Homosexual Scoutmasters
- Despite the over 2,500 pedophilia cases now on record involving homosexual scout leaders, Romney stated, "I feel that all people should be allowed to participate in the Boy Scouts regardless of their sexual orientation." In the same article, a BSA official criticized Romney for opposing Scout policy.
- Boston Globe, 10/27/1994
Romney barred Boy Scouts from public participation in 2002 Olympics
- The 2002 Olympics - run by Mitt Romney - was the only Olympics that restricted the Boy Scouts from participating. According to news reports, this was apparently because of pressure from homosexual activists. (But also, according to reports, homosexual groups participated fairly prominently.) Romney would not respond to reporters' questions about that action.
The largest Boy Scout council in the country responded to the call for volunteers issued by the Salt Lake Olympic Organizing Committee, but the welcome mat was rolled up and the door slammed in its face. Olympic spokesmen for the 2002 winter games say the exclusion has nothing to do with recent protests by gay activists. While the organizing committee for the Olympic event is prominently displaying a call for local volunteers, they have explicitly let it be known that the Boy Scouts need not apply. "For us not to be involved is discouraging, considering the Atlanta games. The Scouting council there was extremely involved," said Kay Godfrey, professional Scout executive for the Great Salt Lake Council of Boy Scouts.
Did Romney really make the statement, "I feel that all people should be allowed to participate in the Boy Scouts regardless of their sexual orientation."? Why would he use his office to impose his view on a private organization?
Is it true he restricted BSA participation in the Olympics while the Olympics was pleading for volunteers to help out?
As I said earlier, I'd not paid much attention to the Governor until a week ago. I've seen websites making these claims, and I've seen some "XXX for Mitt" sites making the claims these are untrue, but offering no documentation. I would think it would be easy to do so, showing the text of the quoted speeches, showing that BSA participated in the Olympic volunteer effort, etc.
Here's my hangup: The man is saying the right words, but his ideology SEEMS to be a complete reversal of his stands and actions from just a few years ago. We've had so many Republicans run as conservatives, but morphing into something else once they get in office. I don't want an election-year conservative in the White House.
